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Figure i . 



-Page from manuscript sketch ol the Hfe of Amasa Holcomb, now in the collections of the U.S. 



National Museum. 



took the school. A large portion of the pupils were 

 older and stouter than he was, but they had the 

 good sense to submit to be governed and taught, 

 and good progxess was made. But before this a 

 great impulse had been given to his mind. He had 

 an uncle Abijah Holcomb that went to sea about 

 1798 and never returned. Abijah had fitted for 

 coUedge and left a valuable collection of books. 

 Some of them were classical, and some scientific. 

 Here he found books on Geometry, Navigation, and 

 astronomy. Amasa had free access to these books, 

 and they opened a brighter world before him. He 

 went into these studies with great pleasure, and 



a mind fully awake, but aloneSJ\ None of these 

 branches were taught in any school to which he 

 had access. He had so far progressed without help, 

 in Geometry, Surveying, navigation, Optics and As- 

 tronomy, that at the gi'eat Solar eclipse in June 

 1806 he could make astronomical computations, 

 and was prepared to observe the eclipse with in- 

 struments of his own making. The stars were visible 

 during about four minutes of total darkness. He 

 computed, and published, an almanac for the next 

 year 1807, and also for the year 1808. He went 

 into the business of surveying land about this time. 

 He loved to climb the mountains, and enjoyed fine 



PAPER 26: THREE 19TH-CENTURY AMERICAN TELESCOPE MAKERS 



161 



